(Northern Research Basins Water Balance – Proceedings of a Workshop held at Victoria, Canada, March 2004 – IAHS Publication 290, 2004, pp. 111–119).
This paper discusses the water balances of three basins in northern Finland, between latitudes 66 and 69°N. Drainage areas vary from 11.6 to 16.4 km2. The Vaha-Askanjoki basin is completely covered by forest, the Iittovuoma basin is practically treeless, and the Laanioja basin is covered by forest to a major extent. Otherwise, conditions are quite similar in all three basins. Discharges are measured continuously, precipitation on a daily basis, and snow water equivalent (SWE) once or twice a month. Data series are 25–45 years long. The average water balance components were P corrected = 640 mm, Q = 409 mm and ET = 231 mm. There was no trend in SWE in the north, but quite a strong decreasing trend in southern Finland (62°N). A slight increasing trend in the evapotranspiration of the two forested basins was seen. The estimation of true areal precipitation is the most critical parameter in water balance calculations.
Evapotranspiration, Finland, Northern basins, Precipitation, Runoff, Snow water equivalent, Water balance
